


Keeping Warm

by Ragingstillness



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Sweater weather, very cosy, warm bfs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26366380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ragingstillness/pseuds/Ragingstillness
Summary: Tony steals a sweater from the common room on a cold night. From there the game is on, he has to find out who the sweater really belongs to.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, WinterIron - Relationship
Comments: 7
Kudos: 229
Collections: Marvel Trumps Hate 2019





	Keeping Warm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FestiveFerret](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FestiveFerret/gifts).



When everyone moved into Stark Tower there was a bit of an adjustment period. Everyone, barring Clint and Natasha, was used to living alone and having to worry only about their own needs. In fact Bruce and Steve were so individualistic they sometimes attempted to do a single chore for the group at the same time.

But like all adjustment periods it did end and before long most items in the tower, bar distinctly personal things, were for communal use. This didn’t mean that Tony could wander into Natasha’s bathroom and steal her soap, but it meant that if you had to run out to get a pizza delivery there was no harm in putting on someone else’s shoes.

Tony was very eager to share his own things but much more reluctant to actually take advantage of those of others. That was, until a particularly cold night, when he had been down in the workshop all day and once the sweat dried his body temperature plummeted.

He hustled to the elevator and upstairs to the communal floor. Leaning over the sofa he rooted around for a blanket and landed on a bundle of soft fabric. He held it up to the fading light to find that it was not a blanket but a sweater. Whatever, no one but him was awake and it was cold as hell.

Tony pulled the thick sweater over his head and let the inner flannel engulf him. It was long on him, hanging loose around his collar and dropping to midthigh. The sleeves were long too. Tony took a childish moment to flap the ends of the sleeves in the air. Sweater paws. He hadn’t had sweater paws since he stole hoodies from Rhodey in college.

Despite the large size it still enveloped his entire core, warming Tony up. He took the sweater with him to bed and in the morning he chucked it back onto the couch.

Then there was another sweater, this time in the lounge. Tony noticed it was the same brand and approximate size and when no one else claimed it he shrugged it on and went down to the workshop. He had to push the sleeves up to his elbows in order to work but he appreciated the warmth all the same.

He’d have to remember not to work with explosives next time. He guiltily returned the sweatshirt with new patches on the elbows.

The third sweater was not of a similar style, but Tony had gotten used to the sizing and the particularly warm construction. He wondered if maybe the sweaters were Steve’s. If anyone would want to avoid being cold it’d be Steve.

Whenever he saw a sweater, Tony snatched it, wearing it everywhere he went within the tower, to his office, while watching TV on his bed, eating chips and playing video games with Rhodey, and, again, when he fell asleep.

He was so caught up in how comfortable he was he forgot to return it and one day ate breakfast with the team in it. No one reacted much besides a single shocked blink. It wasn’t as if Steve wasn’t wearing Thor’s boots and Natasha wasn’t wearing Clint’s jeans.

Breakfast was warm so Tony pulled the sweater off for Mario Kart with Clint and Steve. When he turned back around, several intense hours later, the sweater was gone. Tony was sad to see it go but he understood. Its owner probably wanted it back. Or it was equally likely one of the other avengers had snagged it for themselves.

Tony didn’t want to deprive the mysterious sweater-wearer of his entire stash, so the next time he stole one, he brought it down to the lab and looked up the brand so he could get some of his own. He hesitated then ordered a few in his size.

As he laid in bed that night with his pilfered sweater, he began to regret ordering more. The ones he stole had that nice worn-in feeling and they smelled nice, like apple cider. The new sweaters would be starched within an inch of their lives and would smell of packing peanuts.

Tony woke up the next day and avoided his workshop. He didn’t know if he would cancel the order of not, but he didn’t want to think about it. Of course he could contact Jarvis anywhere in the tower, but state dependent memory was a powerful thing.

He entertained the idea of checking who had ordered from that brand so he could figure out who it was but then dismissed the idea as a violation of privacy. Besides, he kind of liked the mystery. That didn’t mean he wasn’t determined to solve it. He’d have to be subtle about it, but Tony was confident that he’d be able to guess.

The next day he offered to train with Steve, normally something he’d never do. Week-long bruises weren’t his thing. But it was the only way to get into close quarters with Steve without offending his sensitive 40s feelings. Also, when people sweat they put out more of whatever scent was on them, Tony reasoned.

As Tony was flipped over Steve’s hip and hurtled towards the ground for the last time he gave up. It wasn’t Steve. Although ironically Steve did smell like vanilla. Tony had a quiet laugh about that after Steve had left the locker room for a shower.

Clint and Thor would be easy. Both were huggers, Clint into the quicker man-hug, complete with back slapping while Thor would hold on and swing like Tony was a chew toy in the jaws of a particularly loving golden retriever. One short hug and one rib-crushing one later Tony could cross two names off his list.

Tony reviewed the rest of the list: Natasha, Rhodey, Bruce, Bucky, Sam, and Scott. He crossed Rhodey off the list because he was overseas. Scott was always complaining about how the constant compression and expansion of his cells left him overwarm.

Tony wanted to cross Natasha off the list simply due to the size, but he had known plenty of women who preferred a baggy sweater over a tight one. But getting that close to her would be difficult. She wasn’t touchy as a rule and was too skilled to let him anywhere near her during training. Maybe if he danced with her? But the next social event was in a month and Tony wasn’t patient enough to wait that long.

With great trepidation he finally decided he’d just fall asleep on her during movie night. He’d done that once on accident and had found Natasha surprisingly accommodating. It may have been because she had been asleep as well at the time, but Tony was very much the cross your fingers and hope for the best type in these situations.

He had a lot of trouble faking a casual slump onto Natasha’s shoulder, but fate had mercy on him, and she snorted at his amateur display and just tugged his head onto her shoulder. Jackpot, but not the one he was hoping for. Natasha smelled great though and he did end up genuinely falling asleep.

Bruce, Bucky, and Sam left. Surprising Bruce, especially with physical contact, was never a good idea so Tony just got him alone in the lab and asked him outright what shampoo he used.

And then there were two. And luckily he could use the same thing on them both. He snagged redwing from the equipment locker and made a few improvements. He called Sam to the lawn to test the fit with the changes. This put him behind Sam, fiddling with parts of the wings on his back. Sam, like Natasha, smelled nice but wasn’t his special apple cider sweater wearer.

Sam was very pleased with the wings and Tony was 90% sure Bucky was who he was looking for, but he couldn’t be 100% sure until he got close. Good thing that Bucky had an entire arm full of engineering Tony could make excuses to mess with.

It was honestly harder to find Bucky without his Steve-shaped shadow than to get him down to the workshop. He was reluctant to let Tony open his arm up but after Tony explained in detail the improvements he would make Bucky consented to letting him poke around in it.

Before his tools touched the metal Tony gave an exaggerated shiver and stood to snag one of the sweaters from his couch, pulling it on. He sat down in front of Bucky again and watched for a reaction. Sure enough those keen eyes spotted how the sweater hung off Tony and the brand name.

Bucky cleared his throat, unconsciously flexing the plates on the outside of the arm. Tony was so distracted by the nerve integration that he almost missed what Bucky said.

“Um, Stark? Are you wearing my sweater?”

_Yes._ “Oh this is yours? It’s really comfy. If you don’t want me using them I’ll stop you’ve just got amazing taste in sweaters.”

Bucky waved a hand rapidly, thankfully his flesh one. “No, no, don’t bother for me Stark. It, um, you wear it well.”

Tony tugged at the collar, emphasizing how deep it was. “Are you sure? I think it’s a little big for a non-supersoldier like me.”

“Not at all I think,” Bucky paused. Tony was shocked to see a little flush touch the tops of his cheeks. Bucky steeled himself and looked Tony right in the eyes. “I think you look cute.”

Tony let that sentence hang for a moment, then, “Thanks. Do you wanna go out some time?”

Bucky blinked. “Wait a second doll, I’m still not up to speed on slang of the new century. Do you mean go out as in _go out_ go out? Like the way I used to, ‘go out’ with girls in my day?”

“Well yes. If you’re not comfortable going with another guy or if you just don’t like me that way that’s fine just thought I’d offer. I really like your sweaters and you’re super handsome.”

Bucky’s flush deepened. “Then I would be honored to go out with you Tony Stark.”

“Just call me Tony, the Stark’s for my enemies, not my date.”

“Ok.”

Tony didn’t try hiding his fist-pump this time. “Awwweeesome. Now I get these wonderful hoodies all the time.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “All the time? What has changed that my sweaters belong to you now? If we’re moving in together I have to tell you I’m a traditional guy and that’s a little fast.”

Tony laughed then poked Bucky lightly in the cheek. He telegraphed the motion so Bucky could swat him away if he didn’t want it. “Boyfriend privileges, haven’t you heard? All your clothes belong to me now.”

“Well we’re both men so does that mean all your clothes are mine now? Because I’ve been meaning to try out that pretty Tom Ford coat you went out in two weeks ago.”

Tony gasped. “No touching Linda! She’s my sexy going out coat!”

“Well now she’s _our_ sexy going out coat.”

Tony snorted. “I’m picturing both of us trying to wear the coat at the same time.”

Bucky laughed too and returned Tony’s little poke. “Let’s not reach that level of fooling around quite yet. And as much as I’d love to go somewhere with you now it’s only midafternoon and I think the tradition is to take your date to dinner.”

“Golly, whatever will I do with myself until then?”

“Well you could fix my arm, unless that was just an excuse to get me down here…”

“No I’ll fix it all right. As your boyfriend I am now extra motivated to make sure you have as little pain as possible but can still punch just as hard.”

“I’m very grateful in advance.”

Tony snickered, took a glance at Bucky’s beautiful baby blue eyes one last time, then bent over the arm, already hoping the hours could fly away.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Support Marvel Trumps Hate!


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